The Bluebird's Lantern
by DisneymlpZeldalover
Summary: It's not been long since Beatrice turned back into a human, but when the Beast's lantern gets lit once more, she must take on the task of a lantern bearer to save her friends, all the while dealing with the evil Beast who seems to delight in playing with her...


Anna was knitting quietly and glanced up at her father. The tired woodsman smiled back. "Oh, my sweet Anna… I missed you so much."

Anna blushed. "I'm sorry I was so stubborn… If only I had just stayed home, the Beast wouldn've found you…" she sighed.

"Anna, come here."

The girl rose from her seat ame went to her father's side. She slowly sat on his knee. She didn't know if she was too old to still be doing it, but it had been two whole years since she had seen her father…

"The Beast, did he hurt you at all?" Anna asked, putting her head against his chest.

"Er… No." The man fibbed. He didn't want to tell her how the Beast had nearly killed him in the fight for the lantern.

"Papa…" Anna's voice cracked suddenly. "Is it true? About the Edelwood trees?"

The Woodsman let out a sigh. "Yes, my dear."

Anna felt tears slip down her face. "Those poor, poor children…"

"Anna, if I had known-"

"It's okay, papa." His daughter whispered. "The Beast lied to you, and you believed him… I would too if I was told your soul was put in there..." The two slowly turned to a empty lantern sitting on the table. The Woodsman had  
kept it so no one would light it again. Anna still felt shivers go down her spine every time…

The Woodsman hugged her close and kissed her head.

* * *

Anna was asleep in her bedroom when she heard a yell of fear. The girl jolted awake, "Papa?!"

She raced down the steps, her nightgown getting caught several times. She couldn't see a thing in the darkness and searched for her father. "Papa?! Where are you?!" Anna cried.

"No! No! Leave me alone, Beast!" The Woodsman yelled.

Anna couldn't see anything. She grabbed a lantern on the table and ran to her father. She grabbed his hand and shook him desperately. "Papa?!" She cried. The girl nearly fell over searching for oil to fill the lantern, to light  
it, she needed to see him!

In a mere second, the lantern had lit.

* * *

"Goodbye Beatrice."

Beatrice remembered this… She slowly took Wirt's hands into her own. "Goodbye Wirt." They stood in front of the river, Greg, Wirt, and Jason about to go home… Suddenly, the sky turned black. Beatrice gasped as Edelwood branches  
sprang from the ground. They wrapped around poor Greg as he grew limp. Beatrice gave a cry and attempted to run to him but Wirt wouldn't let go of her hands.

"Wirt, you idiot!" Beatrice yelled. "Look behind you! Don't you know what's going on?!"

"Goodbye Beatrice." He repeated. The teen blinked and found herself in front of the small tree. She looked into the darkness and saw Wirt carrying a lantern… "Wirt, stop! Wirt! WIRT!" She screeched. She heard a dark laughter  
and gave a choked sob. "No…"

* * *

Beatrice jolted awake in her bed, her red hair sticking out at different angles. She heard a rumbling and glanced up. The girl ran to the window and saw the peaceful woods grow dark once more. She pinched herself over and over again, until her  
skin was red, this wasn't a dream. He was back.

"Curse that Woodsman!" She sobbed, assuming. She ran to the door, quickly brushing her hair out and putting her blue gown on. The girl ran outside without explaining to her family.

* * *

The girl lifted her skirts and ran as fast and hard as she could.

When Beatrice arrived at her close neighbors' home, she knocked angry at the door. "Woodsman! Come out, now! Blow out that flame!"

The door fell off its hinges and Beatrice ran inside. She expected to see the Woodsman and his young daughter, Anna but found no one.

"Woodsman? Anna?" She called, looking around at a disheveled room. The Beast must've been there…

She heard a sudden cough and ran to it. "Is anyone here?!"

"Help me, please!" The Woodsman yelled from under a broken beam. Beatrice gave a gasp and ran to him. "Oh my goodness, what happened?! Where's your daughter?"

"Anna…" The Woodsman coughed, taking Beatrice's hand. "The Beast took Anna!"

Beatrice let go of his hand and whispered, "How could you light it?"

"I was having a nightmare… and Anna thought the Beast had come back… She couldn't see a thing and unknowingly lit the Dark Lantern!"

"Foolish girl!" Beatrice yelled. The Woodsman gave a growl and attempted to stand but gave a cry. His leg was broken. "My Anna is not foolish! She is brave and strong! You must save her, I can't move!"

"Why can't Anna just… blow it out?!" Beatrice cried.

"The Beast took her when she refused to give him the lantern, he must be preventing her!"

* * *

Beatrice searched in the woods, looking for the missing child. "Anna! Beast!"

She heard a scream in the distance and gasped. "Anna!"

She ran to the sound, wishing she had wings again… The girl tripped over a root and fell to the ground.

She heard a small moan and looked up.

Anna had branches wrapped around her legs and arms. She was pale and shaking, her eyes shut in despair.

"Anna!" Beatrice gasped, running to her. She saw the Lantern was clutched in her hand, glowing brightly. Beatrice attempted to claw away the tree engulfing the child but had no luck.

The girl suddenly coughed up leafs and choked out, "The lantern… Blow out the flame!"

Beatrice's hand grazed the metal frame when a dark chuckle filled her ears. "Well, well, what is such a pretty thing like you doing here…. little bluebird."

"Beast." The teenager hissed, grabbing the lantern. She saw the familiar glowing yellow eyes. Her mind filled with a haze and she grunted in confusion. She tried to remember why she was here, then her brain screamed, blow out the  
Dark Lantaren! She opened the door to the flame.

"STOP!" The Beast yelled, making her head ache with pain and more haze to enter. "Little bird, I have a deal to make with you."

"What?" Beatrice thought about it then saw it must be a trick. "...No, never! Wirt proved that this is your soul! And I can blow it out!" Beatrice said, grabbing her dizzy head.

"If you do blow it out…" The Beast hissed, "I will kill this child and curse you and your family with my dying breath! Every single day, if you don't light that lantern, more deaths will follow until I destroy everything you live  
for!"

Beatrice felt the haze over take her and she couldn't think at all. "I… I…" Her eyes burned as she looked into his. "I will… keep the lantern lit, if you promise not to hurt anyone…"

"I promise you."

"Then... I accept..."

* * *

 **Tell me if you think I should continue! I don't really know how to, but I wanted to give this a shot!**


End file.
